Once ‘quivering with fear’ as family surrendered her, Macaroni still looking for home

A dog left “quivering with fear” as her family surrendered her at a California animal shelter is still waiting to find her new home.

“She’s so afraid her people will leave her again and due to that she needs some help with separation anxiety,” says her adoption listing.

Macaroni, a 1-year-old pug mix, was taken to a Los Angeles-area shelter by her family whose child was allergic to her, the HIT Living Foundation said in a Jan. 25 Instagram video.

Two foundation volunteers at the shelter picking up another dog noticed the family with Macaroni, who was wide-eyed and shaking with fear, the foundation said.

“One of the hardest things to witness in rescue is the moment a dog is being surrendered by their family,” the video says. “Macaroni cried and shook in our arms when she realized her family was leaving her.”

The volunteers realized Macaroni would do poorly in a shelter, many of which are overcrowded with insufficient staffing, Heather Crowe with HIT Living Foundation told McClatchy News.

“They are often lost amongst the hundreds of dogs aching for human touch and recognition,” Crowe said in an email. “Many of the dogs never leave their crates or kennels to be exercised and are not seen by the public.”

The two volunteers arranged with the family to immediately adopt Macaroni.

“We couldn’t say no to her sweet little face,” the video says as it shows Macaroni trembling with fear and uncertainty on the ride to her new home.

After arriving at a volunteer’s home, Macaroni spent three hours trembling in a crate with an open door before she could be coaxed out, Crowe said.

“Macaroni had never been socialized nor had she met any other dogs,” she said.

Many commenters on the original video were angry at the family for surrendering Macaroni, but at least one replied that it’s not possible to know what other stresses the family may have faced.

But Macaroni “blossomed” after arriving at a foster home with other dogs.

A second video shows Macaroni adapting to life in foster care, running in a garden, rolling around on a couch and playing with other dogs.

Macaroni continues to struggle with separation anxiety, Meggan Oksness of HIT Living Foundation told McClatchy News in a Wednesday, March 13, email.

“Understandably so after being abandoned at the shelter by what was likely her only family, Oksness wrote.

Macaroni had been on a promising adoption trial with a family, but her separation anxiety proved to be too challenging, and she is now available for adoption once more.

She is back in foster care and receiving training to try to reduce her anxiety, Oksness wrote.

“She is making great progress,” Oksness wrote, and has made great friends with other foster dogs.

“Her ideal home would be one with someone who continues with her confidence training (and another dog who loves to play would be a plus),” Oksness wrote.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that about 6.3 million cats and dogs are surrendered annually at animal shelters in the United States.

This story was originally published March 14, 2024 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Once ‘quivering with fear’ as family surrendered her, Macaroni still looking for home."